Senior Media Director Pitches the Milwaukee Brewers

Mike Vassallo ’97 could be in any one of 28 major U.S. cities at any given time, representing Major League Baseball’s Milwaukee Brewers as the franchise’s senior director of media relations.

As the primary connection between the media and the team’s players and managers, Vassallo rarely has downtime during the long, grinding season. Before each season begins, he serves as the lead writer in creating the team’s media guide, a 350-page book that includes players’ bios and historical information about the team. He keeps the team’s daily stats, writes press releases and maintains an active Twitter profile that provides glimpses into everyday life within the Brewers’ organization.

Originally from Long Island, Vassallo says that SUNY Oswego appealed to him because of its size and program.

“It was a smaller school, and I could get more experience in the field I was pursuing, which was broadcasting,” he says. “I was able to get involved in activities as a freshman, where at a big school I might not have had opportunities like that.”

Vassallo served as a sportscaster for WTOP and, as a junior, he became the station’s sports director.

“I took a public speaking class,” he says. “That helped a lot because I do a lot of public speaking now. Being with WTOP helped because that’s what I deal with now every day — TV stations and media. Those are the things Oswego offered that really helped prepare me for what I do now.”